U.S. Homeland Security seeks to arm commercial airliners with anti-missile lasers

December 22, 2008 | Source: ScientificAmerican.com

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has given BAE Systems $105 million since 2004 to develop and test its infrared aircraft missile defense system for use on commercial aircraft, to prevent a terrorist with a shoulder-mounted anti-aircraft missile launcher from shooting a plane down.

The Jeteye infrared beam, developed by London-based BAE Systems, blinds a heat-seeking missile’s navigation capabilities.